NEW COSMETICS ACT WON'T SOLVE UNREGULATED PRODUCTS ISSUE

A consultant dermatologist at the Colombo National Hospital says that even if the new Cosmetics and Beauty Products Act is passed, it will be difficult to regulate products already on the market.

Dr. Indira Kahawita made the statement at a press conference at the Health Promotion Bureau today.

She pointed out that while there are nearly 100,000 different types of cosmetic products on the market, only about 9,000 have been registered with the National Regulatory Authority in the last three years.

The specialist added that the word "white" is prohibited on product labels, and she believes that even with the new act in place, manufacturers will simply avoid registering their products that carry this name.

Dr. Kahawita noted that the demand for "whitening" products is high because many contain large amounts of mercury.

While the safe limit is one part per million, a Consumer Affairs Authority survey found that some products contain as much as 30,000 to 40,000 parts.